Royal Castle in Warsaw

It’s been 50 years since a decision to reconstruct the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Millions of visitors see this extraordinary copy of the original castle blown up by the Germans in WWII thanks to the 1971 decision to rebuild the Royal Castle from voluntary contributions.

During WWII, more than 85% of Warsaw’s historic center was destroyed by Nazi troops, the royal castle was not spared as well. After the war, with the support of the whole nation, 13-year reconstruction work was completed by its inhabitants who have made outstanding contributions in today’s meticulous restoration of the Old Town, that includes the royal castle in Warsaw, one of Warsaw’s most recognizable landmarks.

For centuries, the Royal Castle served as the official home of Polish monarchs. Initially, it’s a wooden stronghold of the Mazovian dukes in the 14th century. During the rule of King Sigismund III, who moved the capital from Krakow to Warsaw, the Castle underwent a major expansion before becoming one of Europe’s most splendid royal palaces and turned into its present look. Although it was destroyed during WWII, there are still a lot of original paintings, furniture, and objects of art that were miraculously preserved including two original Rembrandt paintings and 22 masterpieces by Bernardo Bellotto. Wander through the Great Apartments of the castle, you will marvel at the magnificent Great Assembly Hall, which is the largest and grandest room in the castle and features golden stucco columns arranged around the room, exquisite chandeliers, gilded wall decorations, and a huge ceiling painting. Make sure to have a look at the sumptuously decorated Throne Room, of which the walls and the throne feature the red velvet with rich gilding. In addition to the gorgeous decorated room, the Castle boasts beautifully reconstructed gardens extending from the Castle to the Vistula River. After the visit, It’s an ideal place to relax and enjoy flower beds, fountains, and a wonderful view of the Vistula River.

In 1980, the Royal Castle in Warsaw, together with the Old Town was placed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites as “an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century”. If you haven’t been to Warsaw, you definitely should take a trip to this stunning historic city. Check out our tour package to explore fantastic attractions and make the best of your time in Warsaw with us! ? Check out our Warsaw City break 3-day tours, explore Must-See attractions with us! ?

Photo: warsawtour.pl

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76th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz

Today is the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. To commemorate the end of the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred during the Second World War, January 27 was officially designated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day by the United Nations. 

76 years ago today, the largest of the German Nazi concentration camps and extermination centers was liberated. Auschwitz is located in southern Poland and was run by Nazi Germany during its occupation of Poland, where there are over 1.1 million people falling victim to the Nazi death factories. Today Auschwitz-Birkenau is a memorial and museum and the only place of its kind that has been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. For visitors, It’s a place to gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and the Nazi concentration camps, to see thousands of preserved objects and well-preserved sites, to learn about living conditions and the tragic fate of Auschwitz prisoners.

On the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we pay tribute to all the victims of the Holocaust, and we will never forget the history behind Auschwitz-Birkenau.

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Visit Bydgoszcz

Bydgoszcz is a city located on the Vistula and Brda rivers in Northern Poland, known for its beautiful canals and all sorts of different kinds of architecture, for which it was referred to as ‘Little Berlin’ and more frequently ‘the Venice of Poland’.

Mill Island (Wyspa Młyńsk) is among the most popular and spectacular places in Bydgoszcz, so-called Museum Island, surrounded by the Brda river. The idyllic riverside scene is only part of this vibrant island, it also features countless historic red-brick tenement houses and many unique museums, like the Modern Art Gallery, the Archeology Museum, and the Money Museum, which draws numbers of tourists. Take a walk along the picturesque Brda River or relax on Mill Island or take a water tour, it’s so easy to fell in love with the city.

Make sure to visit the oldest building in the city, the Church of St Martin and Nicolaus, commonly known as Fara Church. While its red brick exteriors seemed unspectacular, its colorful interiors will blow your mind! It is a three-aisle late Gothic church, erected between 1466 and 1502, which boasts a glorious interior decorated with baroque decor from the 17th century. Main ornaments reside in the seven baroque altars, with altar frontals and old paintings and sculptures, the most famous of which is a late-Gothic painting entitled Madonna with a Rose or the Holy Virgin of Beautiful Love from the 16th century.

With plenty of breathtaking architectural and picturesque landscapes from across the city, Bydgoszcz was selected as one of the trendiest destinations to visit in 2020 by European Best Destinations. Bydgoszcz is a definitely charming city not to be missed.

Photo: European Best Destinations

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Giżycko in Winter

Healed as “The land of a thousand lakes”, Masuria is a picturesque region of more than a thousand lakes that attracts a large number of water sports enthusiasts even in winter. One of the region’s biggest cities, Giżycko is a popular holiday destination for water sports enthusiasts and is the largest sailing center in the lakes, situated between the lakes of Niegocin and Kisajno in the heart of the Masuria.

The town of Giżycko boasts over 100 lakes and offers absolutely breathtaking views of the surrounding wilderness, it’s attractive not only in summer but also in winter. While in summer the lakes is a nice place to relax in the sun, go sailing, and kayaking, in winter they often become frozen solid with thick which provide excellent conditions for ice yachting. National and international ice-boat competitions are arranged there almost every weekend, that includes Poland’s Ice-boat Championships which have been held every year since 1951. It’s easy to find local offices that offer various training courses on ice-boating and to rent ice boats and other equipment. Fly in an ice boat on the frozen lake, you are going to be blown away by this incredible experience. Moreover, taking a sleigh ride across the forest and the lake is also a great opportunity to feel the magic of Mother Nature.

Apart from the natural landscape, there is a multitude of historical places you can visit as well, such as the 14th-century Teutonic castle and the 19-century Boyen Fortress. When you are done with various activities of the day, the town also offers a multitude of charming restaurants and bars, featuring a cozy and comfortable atmosphere, where you can relax and enjoy a good meal.

Photo: mojegizycko.pl

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Zamość, a marvel of Renaissance engineering

CNN puts up a list of Europe’s Star Cities which were considered marvels of Renaissance engineering, and that includes the small town of Zamość in Poland, which is a nearly perfectly preserved model example of an ‘ideal’ 16th-century renaissance town.

Zamość is named after its founder, a wealthy Polish nobleman, Jan Zamoyski, who appointed one of the most popular Italian architects of the time, Bernardo Morando, to design and build a town for him. Thanks to its fortified walls surrounding the city, Zamość survived armies over the centuries and its Renaissance buildings inside the walls were well protected. The city is praised as the Pearl of the Renaissance and the Padua of the North, and it is one of the few cities in the world that were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a whole!

? Check out the link below to read more about this charming renaissance town, Zamość! ?
? https://www.visitpoland.com/the-old-city-of-zamosc

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Snowlandia Winter Theme Park in Zakopane

If you love snow and ice, cold fresh air, and want to spend some time in a beautiful, historic mountain village in Europe, then a small town of Zakopane in Poland is a perfect destination for you. Not only is it known for ski resorts, but it also features Poland’s largest snow maze, which is bigger than 10 tennis courts and was pieced together by using over 60,000 ice blocks.

This giant snow maze covers an area of over 3000 square meters, surrounded by 2-meter tall walls made of snow and ice and it boasts dozens of winding alleys that make people feel disoriented. But there is no need to panic, you can get help from strangers who might stand on a high place and shout out directions to you. It’s better to wear a brightly colored coat so that you could be spotted more easily by others, if you are not sure you would find the right direction all the time by yourself. By night, the maze is lit up with colorful illumination, creating a magical atmosphere. In addition to the maze, there are many interesting attractions made of snow and ice that you can find in the Snowlandia Winter Theme Park in the capital of the Tatra Mountains. If you have seen the Disney movie “Frozen”, you will be fascinated by a 16-meter high Snow Castle that features chambers, secret passages, tunnels through which you can get to a tower or terrace from which a beautiful view extends. There is also a Palace of the Snow Queen full of exquisite ice sculptures, where you can sit on her ice throne, lie on an ice bed or warm up by the ice fireplace. 

With the largest snow maze in Poland and many attractions made of snow, Snowlandia Park is a winter wonderland park suitable for everyone, especially for the whole family.

Photo: snowlandia.pl

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Sopot in Winter

 As the days grow colder, many people start to miss summer sunshine , white beaches , and fresh sea breeze.  If you are thinking of beaches as your next travel destination, where you can spend time at the beach with soft white sand between your toes and enjoy quiet time, then the Sopot beach would be your ideal place to go on holiday. So too is the Independent, a British newspaper, whose travel team have picked out Sopot beach, as one of the Quiet European Beach Destinations to visit in 2021.

Sopot is a charming seaside resort town in northern Poland, situated between Gdansk and Gdynia in the so-called Tri-City. With its sunny beaches, impressive architecture, and good location, Sopot is a fantastic holiday destination and a great starting point for Gdansk and Gdynia as well. 

Sopot is known for its longest pier in Europe. You can take a romantic walk along the longest wooden pier(Molo), extending into the Baltic sea to a length of over 511 meters. Or unwind on the white sand beach which stretches for 4.5 kilometers from the southern to the northern boundaries of the city and make up one of the most popular attraction during the summer. While It’s got a bit of cold weather now, walking along the winter beach is a great way to boost your physical wellbeing and strengthen your immunity due to its high iodine levels in the air. It’s also believed that wintertime fishing provides fresher and better quality seafood, which you can taste in many local restaurants in Sopot, a perfect place for foodies. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Baltic coastline has excellent conditions for cross-country skiing and Nordic walking with stunning views of the baltic sea. Don’t forget to visit the incredible new Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk, which is only about12 kilometers away from Sopot, you will be blown away by the experience!

? Check out our 3 Days Trip to TriCity (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot), explore Must-See attractions with us! 

Photo: maciekthecreator / instagram

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Kulig

Warsaw turns white wonderland after a big snowfall. Many kids love sledding on a snowy day, they enjoy sliding downhill in the snow or even just sitting on a sled pulled by their parents. But there is a better way that kids and parents can enjoy the fun of a sleigh ride together, namely Kulig! ❄️??❄️

Kulig – a horse sleigh ride, is an old Polish winter tradition as well as an activity loved by the Polish aristocracy. In the past, a procession of horse-pulled sleighs went from one manor house to another, entertained on the way with big meals and typical Polish dances. Today, the Kulig is still enjoyed by locals and tourists not only in the Polish mountains but in towns as well. For example in Warsaw, people can experience horse-drawn sleigh rides through the nearby forest and enjoy traditional sausages. In this snowy season, it’s time to have a remarkable and wonderful experience out in nature with your family and friends. Don’t miss out on the fun of Kulig while in Poland!?

? Check out our Warsaw City break 3-day tours, explore Must-See attractions with us! ?

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